Liquid applicator package



May 22, 1962 B. WATTLES LIQUID APPLICATOR PACKAGE Filed Jan. 25, 1961INVENTOR. ii /51km Vikzzw United States Patent O M 3,035,300 LIQUIDAPPLICATOR PACKAGE Benjamin Wattles, 4 Fairview Road, Canton, Mass.Filed Jan. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 84,003 16 Claims. (Cl. 15-563) While thisinvention relates particularly to disposable shoe polish applicators itis useful in spreading any kind of liquid.

Objects of the invention are to provide an applicator which is simpleand compact, which can be produced rapidly and economically withstandard machinery, which is substantially leakproof, which can beopened easily and quickly, which does not drip when opened, which fitsthe hand in use and which spreads polish or other liquid quickly anduniformly.

According to this invention the applicator comprises two superposedlayers of non-absorbent material such as aluminum foil interconnectedaround their peripheries with adhesive to form a closed container, incombination with a flat swab and liquid in the container, the aforesaidmaterial being tearable across the swab portion to expose one edge ofthe swab, the swab being sealed to the container adjacent its oppositeedge, being compressed transversely of the aforesaid sides and beingexpansible by the aforesaid liquid, and the amount of the liquid beingless than the swab can absorb when expanded so that the swab does notdrip in use. The swab is compressed either transversely of the aforesaidlayers or transversely of the aforesaid edges or both. The aforesaidlayers are preferably interconnected at a fold along the edge of thecontainer through which the swab protrudes in use and a tear filament isdisposed in the fold to facilitate opening the package. The swabpreferably tapers away from its protruding edge so that the pack agefits the hand in use while providing an applicating surface ofsubstantial width.

In a more specific aspect the liquid is disposed in one portion of thecontainer and the swab is located in another portion, the thin edge ofthe tapered sponge projecting int-o the liquid portion so that it canabsorb the liquid when the package is opened to make the decompressedswab free to expand.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention isshown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a strip of packages showing the preferredmethod of production;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are sections on the corresponding lines of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section of the swab taken on lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view like FIG. 7 after the package has been opened and theswab has expanded to normal size;

FIG. 9 is a section of the expanded swab taken on the line 99 of FIG. 8;and

FIG. 10 is a section on line 10-40 of PEG. 2.

In the illustration the packages are made from a ribbon folded at 1 toform two superposed layers 2 and 3. As shown in FIG. 10 the ribbonpreferably comprises an outer sheet 4 of aluminum foil and an innercoating 5 of polyethylene or other heat-seal material. Disposed in thefold 1 is a filament 6 of nylon, Dacron or the i like, preferablyuntwisted so as better to seal with the polyethylene. Disposed in thebottom of each package is a swab 7 consisting of a cellulose spongewhich is preferably compressed transversely of its sides (horizontallyin the figures) and also transversely of the fold it (vertically in thefigures). By using a cellulose sponge the swab will remain compresseduntil it absorbs liquid and it will adhere well to the polyethylenecoating 5.

3,035,300 Patented May 22, 1962 The shoe polish or other liquid isplaced in the compartment 8 which is sealed off from the swabcompartment 9 along the zone 10. The two layers 2 and 3 are also heatsealed together along the side margins 11 and the end margin 12. Theswab 7 is sealed to the layers 2 and 3 along the zone 10 so that it doesnot fall out accidentally after the package is opened. As shown in FIGS.3, 4, 5 and 7 the compressed sponge is tapered toward the end whichprojects into the liquid compartment. Thus the part which is sealedbetween the two layers 2 and 3 at 10 is relatively thin. The layers 2and 3 preferably have cuts 13 and 14 adjacent the fold line so that inopening the package the corners are torn off when the filament 6 is tornout. After the package is opened the sponge 7 is free to expand from thesize and shape shown in FIG. 7 to that shown in FIG. 9 and, it thenprotrudes from the package as shown in FIG. 8.

Some or all of the liquid may be absorbed by the sponge before thepackage is opened, depending upon the amount of liquid employed, but inno event should enough liquid be used to saturate the sponge whenexpanded because that might cause the sponge to drip.

The preferred method of forming the packages is illustrated in FIGS. 1to 5. Referring to FIG. 1 the ribbon 23 is fed intermittently from leftto right, the filament 6 being laid in the fold as the two layers 2 and3 are folded together. After folding the two layers are heat sealedtogether along the zones 5. At the next station a sponge 7 is placed ineach pocket. At the next station the two layers are sealed together andto opposite sides of the sponge 7 along the zone 10. At the next stationthe liquid is poured into the compartment 8. At the same station or thenext station the edges of the folded ribbon are sealed together at 12and the packages are cut apart along the lines 15 which bisect the zones5.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An applicator comprising two superposed layers of non-absorbentmaterial interconnected around their peripheries to form a closedcontainer, a fiat swab and liquid in the container, said material beingtearable across the swab portion to expose one edge of the swab, theswab being sealed to the container adjacent its opposite edge, said swabbeing compressed transversely of said layers and being expansible bysaid liquid, and the amount of said liquid being less than swab canabsorb when expanded.

2. An applicator comprising two superposed layers of non-absorbentmaterial interconnected around their peripheries to form a closedcontainer, a swab and liquid in the container, said material beingtearable across the swab portion to expose one edge of the swab, theswab being sealed to the container adjacent its opposite edge, and theswab being compressed transversely of said edges and being expansible bysaid liquid so that said edge protrudes when the material is torn.

3. An applicator according to claim 1 further characterized in that theswab is also compressed transversely of said edge so that the edgeprotrudes when the material is torn as aforesaid.

4. An applicator according to claim 1 further characterized in that saidlayers are integrally connected at a fold along one edge of thecontainer, a tear filament is disposed in the fold, and said edge of theswab is disposed at said fold.

5. An applicator according to claim 1 further characterized in that theswab is tapered toward its opposite edge.

6. An applicator comprising two superposed layers of non-absorbentmaterial interconnected around their peripheries to form a closedcontainer, liquid in one portion of the container, and a flat swab inanother portion of the container, a part of the swab being disposed insaid one portion of the container so that the swab can absorb saidliquid, said material being tearable across the swab portion to exposeone edge of the swab, the swab being sealed to the container adjacentsaid liquid portion to hold the swab when the container is torn asaforesaid, said swab being compressed transversely of said layers andbeing expansible by said liquid.

7. An applicator according to claim 6 further characterized in that theswab is also compressed transversely of said edge so that the edgeprotrudes when the material is torn as aforesaid.

8. An applicator according to claim 6 further characterized in that theswab is tapered in thickness toward said' liquid portion.

9. An applicator according to claim 6 further chararterized in that theamount of said liquid is less than the swab can absorb when expanded.

10. An applicator comprising two superposed layers of non-absorbentmaterial interconnected around their peripheries to form a closedcontainer, liquid in one portion of the container, and a swab in anotherportion of the container, a part of the swab being disposed in said oneportion of the container so that the swab can absorb said liquid, saidmaterial being tearable across the swab portion to expose one edge ofthe swab, the swab being sealed to the container adjacent said liquidportion to hold the swab when the container is torn as aforesaid, saidswab being compressed transversely of said edge and being expansible bysaid liquid so that said cdge protrudes when the material is torn.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

